Squamish will soon be home to Royal Canadian Coast Guard outpost, although it will only be make believe.The new Global TV series Search and Rescue (SAR), a one hour drama which follows the exploits of a Coast Guard search and rescue team, is setting up shop in Squamish to film all 13 episodes of its first season.
"This is the first time a series has been completely headquartered in Squamish," said the district's Robin Arthurs.
The show, which will be produced by Charles Bishop, Gigi Boyd, and Stephen Hegyes of Brightlight Pictures, opens its Squamish office on July 30 with filming set to begin on Sept. 6.
"We're going to have a 20,000 sq. ft. sound stage out at the BC Rail yards," said production manager Yvonne Melville. "We'll also be based out of the Squamish Oceanfront lands. That's where we're building our Coast Guard ship."
The production, which runs until Feb. 1, will bring about 100 staffers, cast and crew members with it, and the District of Squamish expects the production to have significant economic spin-off in the area.
"This is great exposure for us in the film community," said Mayor Ian Sutherland. "Hopefully businesses will look at it as an economic generator for the community.
"These people work hard but they also have a lot of time between shoots when they can be out in the community and going to our stores."
Melville also said that Brightlight hopes to work closely with the community.
"Whenever possible we want to be buying locally, and using local resources," she said.
Some of those local resources may be actors from the area, with the company holding auditions for extras near the end of August.Production staff is withholding names of the series' lead actors. The plot of SAR, created by head writer Ray Storey, focuses on a young four-member rescue crew that comes across a tragedy on their first excursion out and the impact on their future together.
A synopsis from Brightlight describes the show as "sad, wry, ridiculous, sexy, tragic, absurd; these are the stories of four imperfect, offbeat and sometimes difficult heroes whose greatest search may be for meaning in their own lives."
